Egan Maritime Announces Recipients Of Annual Lifesaving And Community Awards
Nantucket Current •
The Egan Maritime Institute and Nantucket Cottage Hospital on Tuesday announced the recipients of the annual Nantucket Lifesaving Award, as well as Egan's Maurice Gibbs Commendation Award and its Caldwell Heritage Award.
Lifesaving Award
For their quick response to an emergency in Nantucket Harbor in June, off-duty firefighter Raymond DeCosta and Carl Bendiksen will receive the 2026 Lifesaving Award from Egan and NCH, which is presented annually to a citizen who rescues—or endeavors to rescue—another person from drowning, shipwreck, or other water-related dangers.
On Monday, June 1st, DeCosta and Bendiksen were on the town pier when they noticed a person kiteboarding in the area. After several minutes, they saw that the kiteboarder appeared to be submerged, though the kiteboard was still being blown by the wind. They took immediate action, reached the victim by boat, removed him from the water and the kiteboard, then found that he was not breathing and had no pulse, and began performing CPR. Fire Department personnel arrived, took over treatment, and transported the patient to Nantucket Cottage Hospital. The patient was transferred to a mainland hospital via helicopter and ultimately made a full recovery. Read more about the incident at this link.
The Lifesaving Award Committee also plans to publicly acknowledge and thank Ethan McMorrow, Lloyd Brown, and Tim Reinemo, who were on a neighboring boat and assisted in transporting the patient back to the dock, as well as the public safety personnel who responded to the accident: David Angelastro, Alana Macey, and Tim Vamosi.
Maurice Gibbs Commendation Award
Four Nantucket camp counselors will receive this year's Maurice Gibbs Commendation Award for rescuing a woman and her cats from a burning home following a lightning strike on July 18, 2026. This year’s recipients are Lilla Sharman, Elizabeth Stockton, Tabitha Myers, and Jakobe Stevens, who happened to be in the area when lightning struck a home on Upper Tawpashaw Road. They saw the strike, immediately alerted homeowner Susan Hostetler to the fire at her home, and helped rescue her and her cats from the burning structure. Read more about their rescue at this link.
The Maurice Gibbs Commendation Award is presented annually to a person or people who have contributed significantly to saving and preserving lives for the people and the Town of Nantucket.
Caldwell Heritage Award
This year’s recipient of Egan's Caldwell Heritage Award is George Bassett Jr. The award, named in memory of Robert Cary Caldwell, the visionary behind the Shipwreck & Lifesaving Museum, celebrates individuals who, like Caldwell, play a pivotal role in preserving and promoting Nantucket's maritime heritage sites, including its lifesaving traditions and narrative history.
Bassett is a former U.S. Coast Guard member and longtime director of marina operations at the Nantucket Boat Basin.
In the words of Michelle Maturo, Caldwell’s granddaughter, “George has had a significant impact on Nantucket's waterfront community. The Nantucket Boat Basin saw many changes and facility improvements during his 30-year tenure. He is known for providing outstanding hospitality and unforgettable experiences for Nantucket's boating and yachting guests, making the Nantucket Boat Basin a top-tier marina in our country. George Bassett Jr. is a worthy nominee for the Caldwell Heritage Award.”
The awards will be presented on the evening of September 11 at Egan's Shipwreck and Lifesaving Museum on Polpis Road at 5 p.m.This is a free event, but registration is required.
The Lifesavers Recognition Day Committee - chaired by Jessica Guff, president of the Nantucket Shipwreck & Lifesaving Museum Advisory Committee - includes the executive director of Egan Maritime Institute, the president of Nantucket Cottage Hospital, the executive director of the Nantucket Cottage Hospital Foundation, the fire chief, the police chief, the Nantucket harbormaster, and the master chief of USCG Station Brant Point. Together, the committee will formally recognize the town of Nantucket lifeguards, HarborMaster crew, members of USCG Station Brant Point, and all of Nantucket’s first responders for keeping the island safe.
“As a community and as a committee, we are grateful for the hard work of all our professional lifesavers and heroic citizens,” said Jessica Guff. “Each year, we hope for the day when we are unable to nominate anyone for the Lifesaving Award, as that would mean there were no accidents on the water. While that may be a lofty goal, we came very close this year, with no significant saves on our island’s beaches this summer.”